Support for Scottish independence has reached 54% in a new opinion poll, providing fresh encouragement for the SNP as it launches its Choose Scotland campaign.
The Survation survey, conducted between 9 and 14 October, found that 54% would vote Yes and 46% would vote No in another independence referendum once undecided respondents were excluded.
The findings emerged during the SNP’s annual conference in Aberdeen, where First Minister John Swinney launched a renewed campaign aimed at building public support for Scotland becoming an independent country.
It is the second Survation poll commissioned by the SNP to report a Yes lead in the run up to the conference.
An earlier survey, conducted between 18 September and 12 October, recorded 52% support for independence against 48% opposition among those expressing a preference.
The latest figures have been welcomed by senior SNP figures, who believe the results strengthen their argument for another referendum.
Swinney used his conference address to declare that the stars were aligning for independence, presenting 2026 as a turning point in Scotland’s constitutional debate.
The Choose Scotland campaign is intended to take that argument beyond the party’s traditional supporters and persuade more voters of the benefits of independence.
However, the wider polling picture remains divided.
A YouGov survey conducted between 29 September and 5 October found 47% support for independence and 53% opposition among respondents who knew how they would vote.
The contrasting findings demonstrate that public opinion remains closely contested, with different polling organisations producing different results.
Nevertheless, the latest Survation figures have given the SNP an opportunity to reinforce its message following a conference dominated by discussions about Scotland’s constitutional future.
Stephen Flynn MSP said:
“This is a significant lead and is yet another poll demonstrating independence is increasingly becoming the settled will of the Scottish people.
“Independence is the dominant question on these islands and the Westminster parties know it, that’s exactly why they scrambled up to Scotland this week.
“Westminster’s obvious panic only adds to that momentum which is surging behind independence as people Choose Scotland.
“Our vision of a fresh start with independence is ringing true with Scots and the British establishment know it.”
The polling follows visits to Scotland by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch during the SNP conference.
Burnham used his visit to offer further economic devolution and cooperation between Westminster and Holyrood, while maintaining his preference for Scotland remaining within the United Kingdom.
The SNP maintains that Scotland should have the opportunity to decide its constitutional future through another referendum.
The UK Government has not agreed to transfer the powers required for such a vote, leaving the route to another referendum unresolved.
For Swinney, the immediate challenge is to turn the support recorded in favourable polls into a broader and more sustained public demand.
The Choose Scotland campaign will now provide the SNP with a platform for making that case beyond the conference hall, as the debate over independence continues across the country.
